The Walking Dead: World Beyond “Quatervois” was written by Ben Sokolowski and was directed by Heather Cappiello, whose other credits include Fear the Walking Dead, Blue Bloods, and Madame Secretary. I always love to see Sokolowski’s name pop up. The title refers to a crisis or turning point in your life – and our group certainly ends up there by the end of the episode. The title works on many individual levels too as characters are forced to choose. This episode finally provides an answer for why Omaha happened.
As the episode opens, Elton (Nicolas Cantu), Percy (Ted Sutherland), Felix (Nico Tortorella), Will (Jelani Alladin), and Iris (Aliyah Royale) go to the Maintenance Post (apparently NOT called the culling post) to convince Silas (Hal Cumpston) to help them. Silas is surprised and cautiously happy to see them. I really love Cumston’s muted emotional delivery – it captures the abused perfectly. Don’t be noticed. Don’t show too much emotion. Don’t let yourself trust or be happy. It’s clear that he’s reluctant to leave. Dennis (Maximilian Osinski) really has won him over. Iris thinks he’s hesitating because they let him go, and she explains that she thought it was what he wanted. He tells her that’s not why he’s hesitating. She insists that they need him. In the end, of course, he agrees to help by getting the van and Dennis’s keycard and meeting them at the research facility at 2pm.
Indira (Anna Khaja) can’t believe they are going to turn themselves in, and she’s not happy about it. Asha (Madelyn Kientz) suggests that they could turn them in and look like they are honoring their agreement with the CRM. It’s just going to be Iris and Felix going in. Percy, Elton, and Will will wait outside the facility.
They all say goodbye to each other. Will looks concerned at how obsessed Felix seems to be with defeating the CRM. Iris gives Elton the fossil back for safekeeping. Percy wants to go in, but Iris tells him no. Felix and Will say goodbye with a little PDA. In the end, Percy chases them on horseback, dressed as Elton and determined that he can help due to his ‘skills’ – including being a pickpocket. I’m betting this is going to come in handy. The CRM turns up and it’s too late to send him back.
At the research facility, Huck (Annet Mahendru) is starting to get a clearer picture of what’s going on – and her mother’s role in it all. She’s reading the paper with a headline that the “Military Looks Ahead to Civilian Oversight” – but they now want an emergency delay because of Omaha. This is clearly the reason for Omaha – so that the Military can keep itself in power. Dennis shows up with coffee and confirms that the two are married.
Hope (Alexa Mansour) is having bad dreams and goes to Leo (Joe Holt) to tell him everything before it’s too late. She finds him in the lab with Dr Ellis (Allan Edwards) and a new scientist – Dr Amanda Siegel (Susan Savoie). They’ve determined that Hope’s off the cuff comment about the yeast could actually work! Hope is now excited that they might actually stop the walkers.
Iris, Felix, and Percy are put in a holding area and Kublek (Julia Ormond) watches them. The story from Indira is that they were found the day before. She eventually goes in after 10 hours and Iris demands water. Kublek asks to see Felix’s ankle – which I’d forgotten all about! It’s freshly bandaged and she is suspicious. He tells her that they were at a retirement facility full of medical supplies. It’s still pretty damn white for walking all the way if you ask me! She lets it go.
Kublek sends for Huck – who is searching her mother’s office. She finds some reports in the safe and her face indicates that there is something off about them. Luckily, she’s found outside the office, and when questioned by her mother says she was looking for her to have lunch. Kublek asks if she still thinks the group aren’t a threat, and Huck says yes. Kublek insists that they’ll still have to be watched as trust has to be earned – and it’s clearly an indication that Huck also has to earn her trust.
Meanwhile, Silas, clearly feeling bad about it, asks Dennis to borrow the van. Dennis is impressed that he can drive. Dennis hands over the keys and his keycard, telling Silas to be back by 3pm – likely not a problem as he’s to pick up the others at 2… Dennis also compliments Silas on his work – and that clearly stings a bit. Cumpston does so much with just very small reactions.
After returning to the artist colony, Asha admits to Elton after he’s told her how much the truth means to him that it’s her mother that is sick, not her. She also tells him that it’s her mother holding the community together, but if anyone in the community knew about her secret deal with the CRM, it would tear them apart.
Hope tells Leo the truth, and he calls the research facility a prison – well, d’uh. But, of course, Hope has completely changed her tune and says what if it’s also the future? They are reunited with Iris and Felix and go back to the apartment.
Meanwhile, Huck makes her mother lunch. She apologizes for questioning her and uses the excuse that she was more tired than she realized from two years undercover, having to lie all the time. Kublek blows it off, spouting that tough love is hard, but you have to prepare your child to do the hard things in life. Tellingly, Kublek shares a memory of eating out at an Italian restaurant by the ocean when Huck was little. She remembers carrying Huck into the ocean to wash her off after she got covered in sauce – and apparently this was a regular thing. It’s a pretty obvious analogy to baptism and washing blood off. She tells Huck that she had been so trusting as a child that she had to protect her. Huck, however, has no memory of this. It’s clear that Huck is at a crossroads and ready to switch sides – and the show is garnering our sympathy for her by exposing what an abomination her mother is…
Leo and Hope are not happy with the plan to leave. Iris insists that if they got there, they can get to Portland and it’s their only chance to be a family on their own terms. Leo reluctantly agrees but insists that he has to talk to Lyla (Natalie Gold). Luckily, Huck stops him before he can go in. She tells him that she has papers that prove the CRM were behind Omaha. Furthermore, she’s got proof that they are using people for research. She tells him she needs his help to find out what’s going on and stop it.
Silas drives up to the meeting place and gets out of the van. He’s immediately surrounded by guards with guns. I’m hoping this is just a tease, and he simply forgot to do a check in or something.
In the final scene, we are back in Lyla’s secret lab. She’s been brought a soldier as her next subject. She remarks that this is her last chance to get it right – whatever “it” is… Clearly, we are meant to start to have some sympathy for her too as someone caught in an impossible situation… but I’m having none of it. Leo needs to cut her lose. We find out that Kublek has been called away, and the person taking her place in charge? Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) – now going by Anne – from The Walking Dead. While it’s nice to see McIntosh again, I know we were all still hoping for Rick…
A lot of shuffling about and reunions in this episode. A good explanation – FINALLY! – for the CRM’s motives. The episode also nicely weaves in the theme of trust to the storylines. Everyone seems to be at a turning point as to which path they take now, which seems appropriate for the middle of the season. What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
